When did you first attend the SODEM protest outside Parliament and why did you come? 

21 Feb 2018 — Brexit Bus Day. 

Roughly how old are you?

Late 50’s

How frequently did you come and when was the last time you attended?

As and when needed, every few months, some of the big days and some Night-watches  I can’t recall last time, except for a solo thing on BLM day.     

How far from Westminster do you live and what was your travelling time?

1 hour 15 mins   – 15 miles.   Ironically Night Bus 45 mins ! 

What’s your favourite memory?

Early morning – dawn coming up over Parliament and all the commuters saying hello and well done – talking to the Polish street sweeper. Singing protest songs while doing a slow march around the police vans because I was there on my own. Helping Palky sort the flags. Listening to Steve Bray comparing construction notes with the Leave sign builders. Days when I switched on the news and there were the placards. The day I went to get the placards from Lost Property at Victoria (?) because someone had “left” them on a train – and the Lost Property people couldn’t wait to get them out of there ! 

Tell me your story

For most of 2016-2019 I was an unpaid carer so had no money for fares or backup with the day job, so I couldn’t come as often or commit to being there in case my caree needed me. But when I was there it was fabulous. I met people from my own borough. Put faces to names. People from my faith community stopped by to say thank you for being there. I wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do – shouting at MPs, but for the morale of activists and visibility of a silenced campaign it was essential. And it was Steve Bray’s personal care for the participants that I really appreciated. Making sure we were not trapped by malign journalists. Making sure we had a role. Making sure we could participate without being confrontational if we wanted. I hated that the press portrayed the protest as always aggressive. Mainly it was an object lesson in peaceful civil disobedience.

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